What are the key concepts Peter Boxall uses to analyze the novel's power?

Peter Boxall structures his analysis around two central concepts: 'Art' and 'Matter.' 'Art' encompasses 'voice' and 'realism,' exploring the formal elements of novels. 'Matter' focuses on the narrative content, including 'bodies,' 'time,' and 'law.' These concepts reveal the novel's inherent paradoxes and its ability to shape and resist reality, making it a relevant tool for understanding the world.

How does Peter Boxall's analysis of 'realism' contribute to understanding the novel's complexity?

Boxall argues that realist authors, like those in the 19th century, are always aware of the tension between inscription and erasure. Representing reality involves both capturing and omitting details. This awareness is not a flaw but a fundamental aspect that allows novels to engage with the complexities of perception and representation. By acknowledging this tension, novels can offer nuanced understandings of the world, showing how meaning is constructed through both what is included and what is left out. This concept extends to modernism as well.

In what ways does the novel help us understand 'time' according to Peter Boxall?

According to Boxall, novels like 'The Time Machine,' 'In Remembrance of Things Past,' and 'Mrs. Dalloway' allow us to 'make time matter.' They demonstrate the novel's ability to explore the passage of time, finding meaning within its flow, and grasping its material reality. This exploration goes beyond simple chronological storytelling, offering readers a deeper understanding of how time shapes human experience and perception, and how it can be both linear and subjective.

How does Peter Boxall's work relate to the ongoing debate about the 'value' of literature?

Boxall's work provides a fresh perspective on the 'value' of literature, particularly the novel, in a 'post-theory' moment. He argues that the novel is not merely for entertainment but is a powerful tool for understanding ourselves, society, and our place in the world. This perspective contrasts with earlier views that focused on moral or aesthetic virtues or deconstructed the very idea of inherent worth. Boxall's approach offers a relevant argument for the novel's importance, suggesting it can engage with contemporary issues and inspire critical thought.

How do 'voice' and 'bodies' function as key elements within Peter Boxall's analysis of the novel?

Boxall uses 'voice' to analyze how novels, like those by Dickens ('David Copperfield') and Beckett, create a sense of narrative voice without relying on outdated notions of presence. He argues that both authors grapple with self-creation through narrative style. Additionally, 'bodies', explored through works like 'Gulliver's Travels' and 'Moby-Dick,' allows novels to represent embodied experiences, the tension between our physical existence and abstract ideas. Through these concepts, Boxall highlights how the novel blends sound and silence, enabling readers to actively engage in meaning-making.

Novel pages transforming into a cityscape and landscape.

Beyond Entertainment: Unpacking the Real Value of the Novel in the 21st Century

Soraya Malik in Culture & Society December 2025 • 5 min read.

"Why revisiting literary criticism can help us understand the novel's power to shape and resist the world we live in."

Two centuries ago, Percy Shelley proclaimed poets as 'the unacknowledged legislators of the World.' Today, as we grapple with an increasingly complex and rationalized world, Peter Boxall's 'The Value of the Novel' offers a similar, compelling argument for the novel's enduring importance. In a time marked by information overload and ecological concerns, Boxall reminds us that novels possess the unique ability to both reflect and shape our reality.

Boxall's work arrives at a crucial juncture. Literary criticism has long debated the 'value' of literature, swinging from celebrating moral and aesthetic virtues to deconstructing the very idea of inherent worth. In our current 'post-theory' moment, there's a renewed desire to articulate what makes literature meaningful and relevant to contemporary life. Boxall rises to this challenge, offering a fresh perspective on the novel's capacity to engage with pressing issues and inspire critical thought.

This article unpacks Boxall's key arguments, revealing how the novel, far from being a mere source of entertainment, serves as a powerful tool for understanding ourselves, our society, and our place in the world. We'll explore how novels help us navigate complex ethical dilemmas, challenge existing power structures, and imagine alternative futures.

The Novel as a Mirror and a Map: Shaping and Resisting Reality

Novel pages transforming into a cityscape and landscape.

Boxall structures his analysis around two central concepts: 'Art' and 'Matter'. 'Art' delves into the essential elements of novelistic form, specifically 'voice' and 'realism,' while 'Matter' examines the components necessary for narrative content: 'bodies,' 'time,' and 'law.' Through this framework, Boxall identifies inherent paradoxes within the novel, demonstrating how these tensions contribute to its enduring power.

Consider the concept of realism. Boxall argues that realist authors have always been aware of the inherent tension between inscription and erasure. The act of representing reality inevitably involves both capturing and omitting details. This awareness, he suggests, is not a flaw but a fundamental aspect of the form, allowing novels to engage with the complexities of perception and representation. Boxall uses examples from literary history, especially the transition from 19th-century realism to 20th-century modernism.

Voice: Boxall analyzes Dickens's 'David Copperfield' and Beckett's later novels to explore how novels create a sense of 'voice' without relying on outdated notions of transcendent presence. He argues that both authors, despite their contrasting styles, grapple with the process of self-creation through narrative.
Bodies: Examining 'Gulliver's Travels' and 'Moby-Dick,' Boxall explores the novel's capacity to represent the embodied experience, capturing the tension between our physical existence and our abstract ideas.
Time: Through 'The Time Machine,' 'In Remembrance of Things Past,' and 'Mrs. Dalloway,' Boxall demonstrates how the novel allows us to 'make time matter,' both by finding meaning in the passage of time and by grasping its material reality.
Law: Analyzing 'Les Misérables,' 'Crime and Punishment,' and 'The Trial,' Boxall explores the novel's ability to imagine ideal justice, even when it clashes with existing legal systems.

In essence, Boxall highlights the novel's unique capacity to blend sound and silence, allowing readers to actively participate in the process of meaning-making. This inherent ability to reflect, question, and reimagine makes the novel not just a form of entertainment but a vital tool for navigating the complexities of modern existence.

Why the Novel Still Matters

Boxall's analysis offers a compelling case for the novel's continued relevance in the 21st century. In a world saturated with information and increasingly defined by technological advancements, the novel provides a space for critical reflection, ethical exploration, and imaginative thinking. By understanding the novel's unique capacity to shape and resist reality, we can harness its power to navigate the challenges of our time and envision a more just and sustainable future. As Boxall eloquently demonstrates, the value of the novel lies not just in its entertainment value but in its ability to illuminate the human condition and inspire positive change.